A new 3-D attributed data model for archiving and interchanging of coronary vessel systems

Morphology analysis on coronary vessel systems and the quantification of vessel parameters are important aids in clinical diagnosis. Biplane angiographic images are the common source for coronary disease assessment. 3-D reconstruction methods were established to extract the morphologic data. A quantitative coronary analysis system was used to determine important stenosis parameters. Further results, e.g. from other imaging modalities like intra-vasal ultrasound, deliver additional parameters. Usually these methods co-exist without any interconnection. A new 3-D data model for the coronary tree is presented here, which is capable of integrating the results of different applications. It contains the topology of the vessel tree as well as quantitative data in a hierarchic order